Traffic viewing device



Dec. 23, 1952 F. BALKIN 2,622,482

TRAFFIC VIEWING DEVICE Filed Jan. 19. 1950 2 SHEETS-SHEET l 7" 7 2 Q 3 I N VEN TOR.

A?! lit/M412 F. BALKIN Dec. 23, 1952 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 Patented 1)...23, 1952 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE TRAFFIC VIEWING DEVICE Frank Balkin, Chicago, Ill. Application January 19, 1950, Serial No. 139,365

1 Claim.

This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in trafllc viewing devices for use in connection with vehicles to afford the maximum view of the road over which the vehicle is traveling.

It is not uncommon for a driver of an automobile when driving upon the streets or highways to be confronted with a slow moving automobile truck which because of its size, particularly its length and width, obstructs the view of oncoming and cross-traveling vehicles. It is the common practice of vehicle drivers when confronted with such circumstances to maneuver the vehicle to a position with respect to the truck such as permits the driver of the vehicle to view the area of the road to the left of the automobile truck. In doing so, danger invariably confronts the driver of the vehicle by oncoming trafiic which is out of his range of vision prior to and during maneuvering of the vehicle to a position where he would otherwise have an unobstructed view of a substantial part of the road up ahead of the automobile truck. Even when thus moving the vehicle for such view of the road ahead of the automobile truck the vehicle driver's vision is cut oft by the truck from cross traific, thus subjecting the driver of the vehicle to additional danger in passing up the truck.

It is the object of my invention to provide a trafiic viewing device of a construction such as will not necessitate the driver of the vehicle to maneuver the vehicle out from behind the truck in order to have not only a clear view of the road ahead of such truck but also a view of cross trafiic with respect thereto.

Another object of the invention is to provide a traffic viewing device of this character which will cover a larger area than heretofore accomplished by devices for similar purposes.

Another object of my invention is to provide a traflic viewing device of the character hereinafter described which will be especially useful when backing up the vehicle such as is done when parking the vehicle parallel or diagonal to a street curb. It is the object of the invention to provide a device such as will take in a wide downward as well as lateral area to the rear of the vehicle thus permitting the driver of the vehicle to see what is in back of the vehicle during the backing 2 ence to the accompanying drawings showing the preferred form of construction, and in which:

Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic view illustrating one use of my invention;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of an automobile showing one form of my invention associated therewith; I

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the form of the invention shown in Fig. 2; r

Fig. 4 is a diagrammatic view showing the use of the invention illustrated in Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of another form of the invention;

Fig. 6 is a sectional detail view taken substantially on line 6-6 of Fig. 5;

Fig. 7 is a sectional detail view taken substantially on line l--'l of Fig. 5;

Fig. 8 is a diagrammatic view showing the use of the form of the invention illustrated in Figs. 5 to '7 inclusive;

Fig. 9 is a perspective view of the form of the invention, the use of which is shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 10 is a sectional detail view taken substantially on line ill-l 0 of Fig. 9; and

Fig. 11 is a diagrammatic view illustrating the use of another form of my invention.

My improved trafiic viewing device is illustrated in the drawings and may take any one or more of the forms there illustrated and which forms I will now describe in detail.

Referring more particularly to Figs. 2 to 4 inclusive, the traific viewing device there illustrated comprises an arm I0 carrying a suitable holder II which supports in any suitable manner along one edge l2 thereof a body l3 of transparent material such as optical or molded glass, plastic or the like. This holder supports in any approved manner a mirror M which reflects the view from the rear of the vehicle with which the arm I0 is associated.

Preferably this arm I0 is attached to the door is of the vehicle l6 as at I! in any suitable manner. This holder and the arm I0 may be of any approved construction as will best serve the purpose and in itself constitutes no part of the present invention.

The body I3 is substantially triangular in cross section. It includes a relatively flat rectangular shaped rear surface l8 and a concave front surface l9 arranged at an angle with respect to the surface l8 to provide at the outer vertical edge of the body a relatively thin body portion 20 while forming at the inner vertical edge of the body a relatively thick body portion 2| as best shown in Fig. 3. 1

This form of viewing device affords a relatively 36 wherein he views the viewing device mounted wide viewing area. It permits the driver of the at opposite corners 23 of the vehicle. By lookvehicle to view a substantial distance forwardly ing into the mirror 36 to view the viewing device from both sides Of 8. straight line a 38 indicated at the comers 23 the driver is also able to deby lines D and b. Such a device also affords a 5 termine the closeness of any objects to the rear wide lateral view of the road to the left of the of th hi l line a. It also afiordsa substantial viewing area In th form shown in Fig. 11. the viewing to t e ri t Of the li e t s e abling the driver device 31 is mounted in the center with respect to view cross traflic ahead of a vehicle being apto the rear window 38 of the vehicle 39 in line pr d y t V hicle i6 as will be pr ntly 10 with the rear view mirror 40. This form of viewmore fully described. The mirror afiords a view ing device 31 provides but one concave surface ll. to the rear of the vehicle. By actual experience, I have found that my The viewing device illustrated in Figs. 5 to improved viewing device covers a greater area 7 inclusive is especially useful within the vehicle than devices heretofore used. My improved 22 and preferably located at points adjacent the viewing device is especially useful in obtaining opposite rear corners 23 thereof-within the area a view of the road alongside of and ahead of of the rear window 38. This trafilc viewing a leading vehicle about to be passed. It enables device as illustrated in Figs. 5 to 7 inclusive comthe driver of the passing vehicle not only to prises a body 24. This body 24 has opposite view the road up ahead of the vehicle to be concave front an real: lf s 2 and 25 r pe- 2 passed but it also gives such driver a view of 01 a n cross section on a ve ical me an in cross traflic with respect to the vehicle to be plan view as shown in Fig. 5 with the larger passed. This view of the cross traffic is acf he bases 1 the r pezoid located toward complished without the driver of the passing vethe outside and bottom of the vehicle whereby hicle maneuvering the vehicle into the opposite to afford a relatively wide rearward and lateral 25 an a h obtains this view before entering such viewing range as well as a downward view to lane. the I881 Of the vehicle as diagrammatically illlls- The trafiie viewing device embodying my intrated in Fig. 8. This form of viewing device vention may be formed of such material as will is exceptionally useful when backing up the be t erv the purpose.

Ve l 01 in h Process of P g the same While I have illustrated and described the parallel or diagonal to the street curb. It also preferred, form of construction for carrying my covers a lar e area to t e rear of the v hic e invention into effect, this is capable of variation eliminating bling spotsand modification without departing from the The r f the V w n evice r mmatispirit of the invention. I, therefore, do not wish cally illustrated in eis shown n Figs. 9 to be limited to the precise details of construcand 10. In this form of construction the device tion set forth, but desire to avail myself of such pri s a y 1 vi Oppo C n v variations modifications as come within the scope surfaces 28 and 29 and which if bisected subof the appended claim. stantially upon a medial line forms a trapezoi Having thus described my invention, what I in medial cross section with the shorter of the 4 l i as n nd desire to rotect by Letters bases 30 of the trapezoid located at a point tent is; farthest from the eye and with the wider of the A m viewing device comprising a body bbases located at a point nearer the when stantially triangular in cross section and formed a device Of the form Such as is shOWn transgarenigim said having a in Figs. 9 and 10 is employed it is Preferably relatively fiat rectangularly shaped rear surface, mounted 0n the fZOnt fender Of the Vea concave front ur;a.arranged at an angle hicle In such a Position the driver the relative to said surface to provide a relavehicle 33 need maneuver the velucle 33 shghtly tively thin Outer vertical edge to the body and a to the left Order to a complete View relatively thick base portion, a supporting holder along the line 0, under which conditions the having an edge Surface portion secured to Said driver of the vehicle 33 will not only have a subthick base portion f said body, a Second edge stantial clear view to the left and forward of Surface portion at an angle to said first edge the preceding P Without p f surface and provided with means to support a vehicle 33 over the dividing line 35 of the highreagnwmmmy thQrEQHWigf-M REHQHHSEWEHK have an unobstrujcted View across j parallel to the said flat rectangular rear serrate tie with respect to the vehicle 34. If the driver of ad bod a u ortin arm for mountin aid of the vehicle 33 finds the road ahead clear and s 1 y device on a vehicle, and an adjustable supportfree of cross traffic with respect to the truck 34 mg means providing pivotal connection between he may with safety pass the truck 34.

said holder and said supporting arm whereby It 1S common practme for vehmle dnvers the front and rear surfaces of said transparent when driving awaytfromha1 sltreeit curbing toffirst body and Said rear View mirmw may be initially maneuver he W e e 51 3h away mm t nded n ubstant'all vertical lanes. the curbing and then turn his body to a position 9 1 S 1 y p to see whether there is any traffic coming from FRANK BALKIN' the rear. In most cases the danger is found in the initial moving of the vehicle to a. position REFERENCES CITED where the driven then turns his body to view The following references are of record in the the traflic coming from the rear of the vehicle. file of this patent:

By the form of the device illustrated in Fig. 8,

UNITED STATES PATENTS the driver of the vehicle 22 has a wide viewing area which enables him to view the traffic com- Number N Date ing from the rear of the vehicle without turning" vl Mar. 21, 1933 his body or initially moving the vehicle 22. In Brunette May 5, 1936 such case he looks into the rear view mirror .109.932 Schneider Mar. 1, 1938 

